THE VICTORIA CROSS

1. The Victoria Cross may be awarded to officers and Men of the Royal Navy, or of the Royal Marines, for " most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy on land or at sea."

Chief Petty Officers, Petty Officers and Men of the Royal Navy, and Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Marines are awarded concurrently with the award of the decoration, an annuity of �10 a year. plus *6d. a day (�9 2s. a year) addition to pension.

For each bar, an additional annuity of �5 is awarded.

This annuity (together with any other pension from public funds) may be increased to �75 a year in all cases of need due to age or infirmity.

(Extends to Warrant and Commissioned rank)

The Balance of (50, if that amount has not been paid during life-time, will be credited to the estate of a recipient of the Victoria Cross. The full amount of �50 will be credited when an award is made posthumously.

The Victoria Cross may be awarded posthumously. It carries with it the right to use the initials V.C. after the surname.

THE GEORGE CROSS

2. The George Cross may be awarded to Officers and Men of the Royal Navy or of the Royal Marines, for outstanding gallantry and devotion to duty, whether on land or at sea, not in the presence of the enemy, or for "extreme or heroic daring" in saving life at sea or on land.

The George Cross, which may be awarded posthumously, has now taken the place of the Medal of the Order of the British Empire, for Gallantry, and the Albert Medals in Gold.

The George Cross carries with it the right to use the initials G.C. after the surname.

APPOINTMENT AS COMPANIONS OF THE MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH.

3. Officers of the Royal Navy of, or above, the rank of Commander and of equivalent ranks in the Royal Marines may be appointed Companions of the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

4. Officers of the Royal Navy or Royal Marines and members of the officially recognised Nursing Services may be appointed to the appropriate class of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, for gallantry or distinguished conduct not in the face of the enemy at sea or on shore, or for long and meritorious service over a period, either ashore, or afloat. Appointments to the Order may also be made for Services in action against the enemy.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.

6. Officers of the Royal Navy or of the Royal Marines may, in time of war, be appointed Companions of the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry or devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy on land or at sea, which, though it may not be deemed to merit the Victoria Cross, is yet of a very high order.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE ROYAL RED CROSS.

8. Fully trained Nurses who are members of the officially recognised Nursing Services or have voluntarily undertaken nursing duties may be appointed to the First Class (Members) of the Royal Red Cross for exceptional devotion and competency over a long period In carrying out actual nursing duties in Naval or Auxiliary War Hospitals or for very exceptional acts of bravery and devotion while on duty. Such appointments carry with them the right to use the initials R.R.C. after the surname.

Fully trained Nurses, or Assistant Nurses, Probationers or Nursing Members of a Voluntary Aid Detachment who belong to one of the officially recognised Nursing Services, or have voluntarily undertaken nursing duties may be appointed to the Second Class (Associates) of the loyal Red Cross for exceptional devotion and competency over a long period, or for exceptional bravery and devotion while on duty. Such appointments carry with them the right to use the initials A.R.R.C. after the surname.

THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS.

7. The Distinguished Service Cross may in time of war be awarded to Officers of the Royal Navy of the rank of Commander and below and of equivalent ranks in the Royal Marines for meritorious or distinguished services before the enemy which may not be deemed to warrant the appointment of such officers to the Distinguished Service Order. Officers of the Royal Air Force serving at sea or with the Fleet, and Officers and Warrant Officers of the Army when serving In defensively equipped Merchant Ships may be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

It carries with it the right to use the letters D.S.C after the surname.

THE ALBERT MEDAL

8.

(1) The Albert Medal for gallantry in saving life at sea.

(2) The Albert Medal for gallantry in saving life on land.

The Albert Medal may be awarded posthumously to Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for gallantry in saving life at sea or on land in cases where the rescuer would have been awarded the George Medal had he survived.

The Albert Medal carries the right to have the initials A.M. put after the surname.

(See George Medal, paragraph 11 below).

THE CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL.

9. The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal may be awarded to Chief Petty Officers, Petty Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and to Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Marines for acts of conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy.

e Applies only to awards in respect of service since 3rd September, 1939. New pension additions payable from 1/10/44.

Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Air Force serving at sea or with the Fleet and Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Army serving in defensively equipped Merchant Ships may be awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.

The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal carries with it the right to use the initials C.G.M. after the surname.

*Chief Petty Officers, Petty Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Marines who are awarded this medal may be granted 6d. a day (�9 2s. a year) addition to pension, or a gratuity of �20 on discharge without pension, transfer to Reserve, or appointment to a Commission.

For each Bar an additional gratuity of �20.

THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL.

10. The Distinguished Service Medal may be awarded to Chief Petty Officers, Petty Officers and Men of the Royal Navy or to Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Marines for bravery and resource in action against the enemy, which is not of so high an order as to merit the award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Air Force serving at sea or with the Fleet, and Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the Army serving in defensively equipped Merchant Ships may be awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

It carries with it the right to use the initials D.S.M. after the surname.

Petty Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Marines who have been awarded this medal are eligible for the award of 6d a day (�9 2s a year) addition to pension, or a gratuity of �20 on discharge without pension, transfer to Reserve, or appointment to a Commission.

For each Bar an additional gratuity of �20.

THE GEORGE MEDAL

11. The George Medal maybe awarded to Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for brave conduct on land or at sea or in the air not in the presence of the enemy, or for gallantry in saving life where the services are not so outstanding as to merit the award of the George Cross.

It carries with it the right to the use of the initials G.M. after the surname.

THE BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL.

12. The British Empire Medal (Military Division) may be awarded to Chief Petty Officers, Petty Officers and Men of the Royal Navy or to Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Marines, or to Nursing Members of a Voluntary Aid Detachment who belong to one of the officially recognised Nursing Services, or have voluntarily undertaken Nursing Duties, for gallantry and distinguished conduct not in the face of the enemy, whether on shore or at sea, or for meritorious service over a period either ashore or afloat. The Medal may also be awarded for services in action against the enemy.

It carries with it the right to the use of the initials B.E.M. after the surname.

13. Naval Officers and Ratings are eligible for the Distinguished Flying Cross and Distinguished Flying Medal, respectively, for operational service, and for the Air Force Cross and the Air Force Medal, respectively, for outstanding services in non-operational flying, with the Royal Air Force. These awards are made only on the recommendation of the Royal Air Force authority.

14. Officers of the Royal Marines may be awarded the Military Cross and other ranks the Distinguished

Conduct Medal and the Military Medal, on the recommendation of the Army authorities. Similarly, Naval Ratings may be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for distinguished conduct in the field while serving with the Army.

15. The monetary grants to those Naval Ratings and Royal Marine other Ranks who may be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Military Medal or the Distinguished Flying Medal are the same as for the Distinguished Service Medal.

MENTION-IN-DESPATCHES.

18. A Mention-in-Despatches may be awarded to Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for courage and resource in operations against the enemy, which is not of so high an order as to merit the award of the Distinguished Service Cross for Officers, or the Distinguished Service Medal for Men.

A Mention-in-Despatches may be awarded posthumously.

QUEEN'S COMMENDATION

17. The Queen's Commendation may be awarded to Officers and Men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for brave conduct on land or at sea or in the air, not in the presence of the enemy, or for gallantly in saving life, where the services are not so out-standing as to merit the award of the British Empire Medal.

The Queen's Commendation may be awarded posthumously.

MEDALS OF THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE BOAT INSTITUTION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM SHIPWRECK.

18. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution are awarded for courage in saving life from shipwreck on our coasts. They are worn on the right breast.

STANHOPE GOLD MEDAL

19. The Stanhope Gold Medal is awarded by the Royal Humane Society for the bravest deed of life-saving in the year, either ashore or afloat, but not for bravery in saving life in fires. It is worn on the right breast.

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY'S SILVER AND BRONZE MEDALS, TESTIMONIALS AND CERTIFICATES.

20. The Royal Humane Society's Silver and Bronze Medals are awarded for gallantry in saving or attempting to save, life at sea or on land, the Silver Medal being awarded for greater gallantry than the Bronze Medal.

These medals are worn on the right breast.

The Royal Humane Society's Testimonials on Vellum and Parchment are awarded for gallantry in saving or attempting to save, life at sea or on land, the Testimonial on Vellum being awarded for greater gallantry than the Testimonial on Parchment.

The Royal Humane Society's Resuscitation Certificate is awarded for restoring the apparently dead from drowning from asphyxia.

The Royal Humane Society's "In Memoriam" Testimonials on Vellum are presented at the discretion of the Society's Committee to the relatives of those who lose their lives in attempting rescues, and should therefore be reported for consideration.

Recommendations for the above awards must be made within two months of the gallant action, but if the rescues or attempted rescues, occur at a distance from the British Isles this time limit may be extended to eighteen months.

� Applies only to awards in respect of service since 3rd September, 1939. New pension additions payable from 1/10/44.

The present Admiralty practice in recommending awards for various services may be summarised as follows :